1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in plastic tote boxes, and in particular to a tote box having improved stackability, drainage, and security.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Plastic tote boxes have been known for a number of years and have found wide spread usage in commercial and residential applications. Such boxes have been available having no lids, with one-piece lids which enclose the entire top of the box, or with two-piece lids, each piece of which is hinged along one side of the tote box and in which the pieces meet along a line of closure generally in the middle of the box top. These boxes are used for storing and transporting parts or other items and are reusable. The boxes and their lids are also typically made of plastic materials which are recyclable.
Such tote boxes which are both stackable and nestable are known in the industry as 180.degree. stack and nest boxes. With this type of box, in one orientation of an upper box relative to a lower box, the upper box has foot supports which are supported by ledge supports of the lower box near the top of the lower box, so that boxes containing items can be stacked with the lower boxes supporting the weight of the upper boxes. When the boxes are emptied as for example occurs when the parts are used in production, the boxes are prepared for return shipment or storage by nesting them together by turning the upper box from its stacked orientation 180.degree., in which orientation the upper box nests inside of the lower box, which conserves vertical space.
Particularly in industrial applications, plastic tote boxes can be used to carry heavy items and also are subjected to generally rough usage. When heavy items are loaded into a plastic tote box, distortion of the box inevitably occurs, particularly when a stacked box is only supported by its foot portions, typically at the ends of the box. The weight inside the box bows it inwardly and the forces transmitted from the foot supports of the upper box to the ledge supports of the lower box tend to push the end walls of the lower box outwardly so that the foot supports can slip off of the ledge supports, and the upper box falls down into the lower box. Consequently, this has limited the amount of weight which could be put into a box which was being stacked and also the total height and weight of the stack.
During shipment and storage, boxes of the type described, individually and in stacks, are also subjected to moisture, such as rain, condensation, accidental or intentional spraying, or leakage from an upper box to a lower box. If this moisture is permitted to enter the box, it can sometimes damage or ruin the items contained in the box. It is, therefore, desirable that moisture falling or collected on the box be directed away from the interior of the box.
Tote boxes of the type described are also expected to provide some level of security. Typically, a hole is provided near the top edge of the box through which a padlock can be inserted to lock a lid of the box closed. Because of the permitted size of the rim of the box and the configuration of the lid, the size of the hole has been limited, such that only a relatively small diameter shank of a padlock could be inserted through the hole, or making it difficult to insert the shank of a padlock through the hole. In addition, since the padlocks are usually provided only at the top midpoint of one or both end walls of the box, if the lid is not connected to the box along the side walls with a secure connection, access to the interior of the box can be gained by separating the lid from the box along the sides, which permits pilfering.
Also, in 180.degree. stack and nest containers, it is helpful to the person stacking or nesting them if the container has some obvious indication of its orientation, since its orientation determines whether it is in the stack position or the nest position relative to the lower container. Such an indication should be easily visible without additional effort from any angle from which a box is normally handled.